Flooring

Flooring – Why people prefer their choices.

The term flooring is used when permanent covering of a floor is done or the work of installing new floor covering. To achieve this, flooring materials are needed. Flooring materials ranges in different suits from bamboo flooring, carpet and carpet tiles, cork, hardwood, engineered wood, laminate flooring, hard concrete flooring, linoleum, vinyl, rubber and the likes. A builder can decide to use either of these depending on the room and the flow of traffic, cost, endurance, noise insulation, comfort and cleaning effort.

The type of flooring make a significant difference in the appearance and finishing of your remodeling project. Good looking flooring could enhance the value of the home and this could possibly attract new customers for you.

Which flooring is right for you? Hardwood, laminate, tile, vinyl or eco-friendly choices like cork or bamboo? For what reason should you go for either.

Hardwood flooring

Let’s take a look at a traditional favorite, hardwood flooring. This include any flooring milled from a single piece of timber. Oak, walnut maple and hickory are common types. It comes in a variety of styles such as plank, parquet and prefinished boards that you can install yourself.

Pros: extremely durable, hardwood floors can be sanded and refinished many times over their lifetime. They are also extremely easy to clean, sturdy. Hardwood floors give a house a very earthy yet luxurious feel.

Cons: Talk about resilience, Hardwood flooring is not resilient floor because it is firm but has little give. Also it’s on the more costly end of the flooring spectrum and can be labor intensive to install. This type of flooring do not retain heat and will not damper sound and may also shrink or expand depending on season and temperature creating gaps in the floor surface. Also, certain types of hardwood flooring might darken with age.

Ceramic Tile

Are hard glazed squares typically made of ceramic or porcelain. When in need of flooring that requires waterproofing, ceramic tile is the best alternative. Ceramic tile could be used as floor tiles, indoors, or as counter tops, also in outside environment.

Pros: strong, durable, wide variety of colors and designs. Ceramic tiles made of porcelain color through tile body, are the best to hide scratches or damages due to their composition. It is hygienic and easy to clean.

Cons: One of its biggest drawbacks is that grout lines could be very hard and difficult to clean and low-quality tiles may chip. Also it is very rigid, hard underfoot. Almost all brittle items will break with impact on the surface.

Cork flooring

Cork Flooring is made from the bark of cork oak. Cork is a renewable sustainable resource and is known for its shock-absorbing comfort underfoot, as well as its vibration and sound dampening qualities. Cork also has insect-resistant and anti-allergenic properties. It makes for highly sustainable flooring option that adds on earthy natural look. Cork flooring is a great choice for play areas or commercial spaces where there is a desire for a comfortable walking and standing.

Cons: Cork flooring is an expensive flooring material. It may also absorb water if improperly finished.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is created by fusing several layers of material together. It copies the look of hardwood and more recently has been made to resemble stone and ceramic tile.

Cons: laminate flooring could not be refinished and can be scratched easily. It provides a strong, durable surface that can resist burns, scratches, and chipping.